Writing for clarity and style
Part of the role as a Business Analyst is to write requirements – business, user or technical documents so that information is captured for reference and approval. This means that description have to be clear and follow the S.M.A.R.T framework. However each person is human and interprets description differently – usually according to their current understanding.
Here are some alternatives to confusing words that was passed onto me in my earlier days as novice Business Analyst.
| Appropriate, Property | Area | Clear |
|---|---|---|
| accurate, correct | activity, task | accurate, correct |
| according to [policy] | business, market | assigned |
| applicable, qualified | control | complete,thorough |
| assigned, designated | criterion | comprehensive |
| bona fide | department | consistent |
| complete,thorough | function | detailed |
| comprehensive | group,unit | designated |
| conforms to | issue/finding | evident,explicit |
| corresponding,respective | location, room | fully explained |
| enough, sufficient | process | fully illustrated |
| not always/routinely (improper) | product | fully supported |
| questionable (improper) | section | organised |
| responsible, relevant | vicinity | specific, specified |
| suitable |
[table]
Formal, Noted, “Periodically, Timely”
according to [policy], classified, according to [policy]
“accepted, approved”, concluded, “after/before, by, in time for”
conforms to, determined, at least [x times a day]
consistent, documented, “daily, monthly, annually”
“documented, written”, found, effective
formatted, identified, frequently
legal, noticed, “intermittently, occasionally”
official, realised, “on time, on schedule”
organised, recognised, “promptly, quickly”
qualified, recorded, “regularly, cyclically”
signed, “said, stated”, to conform to
standard(ised), “saw, observed”, within [a reasonable time]
[/table]
[table
upon, ensure, and/or
after, confirm, and
as soon as, determine, or
once, require, “x, y, or both”
soon after, so that (to ensure that),
when, validate,
on [after a verb], verify [use task oriented verb],
[/table]
Random confusing words
Here are some common confusing words we use in our workplace.
Management is not capitalised. It is neither a title nor a position
Department, division, group, unit, and other organisation words are capitalised only when they are written as part of the official name of the organisation’s entity (e.g. Accounts Payable Department, this department, Accounts Payable and Legal departments).
Maintain means keep up to date. Retain means keep or save.
Cannot is one word. A lot is two words.
Master field is two words. Database is one word.
User ID is two words and ID is always captalised. (ID is an acronym for identification).
The prefix sys- is not necessarily computer-related.
Systemic means inherent or root. Do you mean automated?
Systematic means methodical or orderly. Do you mean electronic?
System does not necessarily refer to a computer system.
For computer systems, use application
For manual operations, use process
When using system to mean a computer system, make sure this fact will be obvious to your readers.
Finally, as displayed on the this blog image if you are confuse between the words “further” and “farther” (which I am) , head over to http://thepioneerwoman.com for a bit of school learning.
